Wildcats fall to the Cougars after high-scoring game keeps fans on their toes

Published 10:57 pm Friday, November 5, 2021

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BY TARA WILLIAMS

NEW ORLEANS — It was definitely an exciting night for the East St. John Wildcats as they took on the St. Thomas More Cougars on Friday night.  After a hard fought, high-scoring game that was tied at many points during the night, the Cougars pulled past East St. John 62-60.

The Wildcats were looking to take the win to finish off their season on a good note. They absolutely came prepared to play as they put the first score on the board with a 23-yard touchdown pass at 8:15 in the first quarter to start off 7-0 in favor of the Wildcats. But it only took the Cougars three plays and less than a minute to answer the Wildcats back and tie the score 7-7 at 7:40 in the quarter.

Then the Cougars started to put the pressure on. By 5:52 in the first quarter, St. Thomas More had made another touchdown and made the score 14-7 over the Wildcats. East St. John fumbled, and St. Thomas More recovered, setting up their third touchdown, which made the score 21-7 by the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter was just as exciting, with the Wildcats putting their foot to the fire. They opened the quarter with a 12-yard touchdown with the clock at 11:01, which made the score 21-14 in favor of the Cougars. Then a fumble recovery by the Wildcats set them up to make a 45-yard touchdown at 10:22 in the second quarter to tie the score 21-21. Both teams fought to go up and down the field until finally the Cougars broke the monotony to score a 7-yard touchdown, which made the score 28-21 with 2:44 left in the second quarter. In less than a minute, ESJ answered back to tie again 28-28 at 2:19 left til the half.

With excitement, the Cougars came and scored again just before the end of the half at 56 seconds to take the lead 35-28. But within those 56 seconds, the Wildcats forged on. With the last seconds winding off the clock, the Wildcats scored at the end of the half to make the score tied at 35-35. It was an exciting half that definitely kept the fans on their feet.

The excitement did not stop as the Wildcats start off the third quarter and scored again and made the score 42-35 at 9:11. The Cougars answer back at 6:46 in the third and made the score tied again, 42-42. East St. John continued to add to the board with a 37-yard touchdown but missed the 2pt conversion to make the score 48-42.  The Cougars added another score and made the score 49-48 with 4:40 left in the third quarter. The Wildcats scored at 3:36 in the third; however, they missed the extra point, which made the score 54-49. But the Cougars get their fans on their feet with a long pass for a 55-yard touchdown after losing 23 yards in penalties at 1:52 left in the third quarter. The Cougars raised the score to 56-54 to end the third.

The Wildcats come back in the fourth quarter to score at 5:15 left until the game to make the 60-56 with the Wildcats in the lead after missing the 2pt conversion. The Cougars answered, as they had done all night with a 24-yard touchdown at 4:13 left to the game with a score of 62-60. But they missed the extra point, giving the Wildcats an opportunity to win with a field goal. However, the attempt to make the field goal was blocked by St. Thomas More, and the Wildcats lost the game 62-60 to the Cougars. Outstanding contributions were made by East St. John’s Kylon Harris and Dkhai Joseph, who contributed four touchdowns each with this high-scoring game.

Effort by both teams were extraordinary, and we congratulate the Wildcats one their magnificent season this year.

Other River Parish Friday night football results were as follows:

  • Lutcher defeated Patterson 55-22
  • Hahnville defeated Terrebonne 31-0
  • Destrehan defeated Thibodaux 38-0
  • Riverside Academy lost to Country Day 31-38
  • James lost to E.D. White 19-28
  • West St. John lost to St. Martin’s 14-27
  • St. Charles Catholic plays Saturday

The Louisiana High School Athletic Association will soon announce which teams will be going to the playoffs, and we hope to see all of the St. John schools in the bracket!